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Cisco CCNP

seanbranagh
Grafter
Posts: 1,236
Registered: ‎02-08-2007

Cisco CCNP

Where can I find courses and pricing in my area for this? (Belfast)
12 REPLIES 12
chillypenguin
Grafter
Posts: 4,729
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Cisco CCNP

Hi Sean
Do you already have a CCNA, I am interested in what is covered, as there is talk that the company I work for may send us on a CCNA course.
I am not sure is wireless is of interest but have you seen;
http://www.cwnp.com/community/
Chilly
seanbranagh
Grafter
Posts: 1,236
Registered: ‎02-08-2007

Re: Cisco CCNP

Do not have CCNA. From the name I think it is a less detailed version of CCNP. CCNP looks like the best cousre for networking which is why I am interested but price and location may force me to reconsider. I love everything networking including wireless. I currently install cabling Cat5e/6/fibre but this is not what I want. I have contacted several companies/agencys with my website address (below) showing my knowledge/interest in networking but without the qualifications I am still pulling cables!
seanbranagh
Grafter
Posts: 1,236
Registered: ‎02-08-2007

Re: Cisco CCNP

Have been looking at this http://www.itjobswatch.co.uk/jobs/uk/ccnp.do
Could someone tell me where I could become a CCNP soon, like tomorrow morning!!
samuria
Grafter
Posts: 1,581
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎13-04-2007

Re: Cisco CCNP

The problem with Cisco is its not very often you setup a router unless your a ISP or simliar. They tend to be setup and then work for years. This means a lot of Cisco work is often highly paid but short term contract as companies will employ people to setup their network and then dont need you again until something goes wrong and this can be often done remotely.
If there are big companies in your area which may have lots of routers and need someone full time you may be all right but the chances of employment are small as they will have someone all ready.
You are generally better with a MS qualification as its more likely to get you a job as its not so specialized so it gives you more scope  and as the exams are broken down into modules you can soon get some to get a foot on the ladder
seanbranagh
Grafter
Posts: 1,236
Registered: ‎02-08-2007

Re: Cisco CCNP

I was speaking to a lady from a local IT recruitment company in Belfast (where I currently work) today and she says that the industry here in NI went nowhere for years but now that is changing. There is and will be a lot of such employment with ISPs over the coming years. Even more so with the likes of Eircom in the South as there is at least 10 years of catching up to do to get inline with the UK. Lucky for me I have so far got no wife or children so I am not fixed to a location. Also having both Irish and Brittish citizenship (A perk from being born in NI) means I can easily live/work pretty much anywhere I want (Within UK and Ireland obviously). I don't have any preference as long as there was work and money  Grin
As for Microsoft I have less and less time for them and their products with every Vista encounter!
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: Cisco CCNP

Being an EU citizen you have a huge workplace.
UK/Ireland is irrelevant TBH.
seanbranagh
Grafter
Posts: 1,236
Registered: ‎02-08-2007

Re: Cisco CCNP

Don't think I would want to travel that far. Would not like to stray too far from my own culture. I imagine it would take much longer to settle. But that opinion would of course be influenced by money!
Not applicable

Re: Cisco CCNP

One major point to consider when it comes to technical training is the delivery method.
Classroom training is all well and good up to a point, but as people arrive with different levels of knowledge and experience its pretty hard to get a perfect fit in terms of the depth of coverage.
My personal preference is a Mentored Learning approach, where you attend a training facility and work at your own pace. You have a technical trainer on hand to go through each part of the course - and over time they begin to tailor responses and examples towards your experience. You get to complete the course at your own pace - moving faster over parts that you are already proficient in, and spending more time on parts where there are larger gaps in your knowledge.
Of course there is also distance learning as an option, but this requires a large amount of dedication to ensure that you study enough to keep the course moving.
Do you think its important to be vendor specific in your approach to training? Sometimes it can pay off to start with a generic course covering the principles and standards. Following that, moving to a vendor specific course should be fairly painless.
MikeWhitehead
Grafter
Posts: 748
Registered: ‎19-08-2007

Re: Cisco CCNP

Just took a quick glance through this post, so sorry if things have been covered previously.
The CCNA is a pretty good course to complete - the natural progression is effectively CCNA -> CCNP -> CCIE, with the need to sit re-examinations every two years to renew your accreditation.
I wouldn't just jump into CCNP without doing (or at least looking at) CCNA - and I can't think off-hand if CCNP requires a prior CCNA. The initial parts of CCNA will help greatly with your Cisco router setups as well as dealing with various interior and exterior protocols - if you don't know the base work then don't bother moving forward.
MikeWhitehead
Grafter
Posts: 748
Registered: ‎19-08-2007

Re: Cisco CCNP

Quote from: samuria
You are generally better with a MS qualification as its more likely to get you a job as its not so specialized so it gives you more scope  and as the exams are broken down into modules you can soon get some to get a foot on the ladder

This is correct if, upon completion of the MS course, you want handed with some nuts and a spanner - the majority of people coming out with MS qualifications tend to turn into spanner monkeys per se. I guess it's just a point of personal preference.
A course in an enterprise Linux flavour would be beneficial, as would Cisco (really though, it depends on what work you want to do). Cisco engineers are quite in demand currently, and not simply for short-term project work. Remember there are organisations that deal primarily with long-term projects with various companies, who all need work done quite often.
Mark
Grafter
Posts: 1,852
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Cisco CCNP

Hi Sean.
BIC systems link in Airport Road West, have always been one of the leading IT training centres in the UK for some time. Now owned by BT, they offer a comprehensive range of services including a full range of CISCO certs.
Having used their services on many occasions i can highly recommend them.
Let me know how you get on.
grey_gorilla
Dabbler
Posts: 24
Registered: ‎23-07-2007

Re: Cisco CCNP

Quote from: Sean
Do not have CCNA. From the name I think it is a less detailed version of CCNP.

You have to have a CCNA before you can sit the CCNP exams.